Spring-protecting device for railway coupling attachments



(No Model.)

A W. THORNBURGH. 6 SPRING PROTECTING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY OOUPLING'ATTAOHMENTSi N0. 606,316. Patented June 28,1898

6 INVENTOQ? W WILLIAM TI-IORNBURGH, OF SHELBY, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO THE THORNBURGH COUPLER ATTACHMENTS COMPANY, LIMITED, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPRING-PROTECTING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY COUPLING ATTACHMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,316,v dated June 28, 1898..

Application filed November 19, 1897. Serial No. 659,085. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM THORNBURGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shelby, county of Richland, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring-Protecting Devices for Railway Coupler Attachments; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is designed to provide certain new and useful improvements in a springprotecting device for railway coupler attachments; and it consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices and appliances hereinafter specified and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in

whicl1- Figure 1 is an inverted plan view showing certain parts in horizontalsection. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of box-followers. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the draftspring housing and related parts. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the box-followers. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the devices shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating a modified form of the followers for twin springs.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 my invention is applicable more particularly for use with tandem springs, whereby both springs may work at the same time and whereby both springs will be effectually protected from undue pressure both in pulling and in bufling.

My invention aims to do away with the ordinary form of followers in coupler attachments or draft apparatus and to substitute therefor novel followers which of themselves will form the necessary protection to the springs.

In United States Letters Patent granted to me August 24, 1897, No. 580,722, the springs were protected by forming the inner surfaces of the draft-spring housing with certain ribs or stops to limit the forward-and-backward movement of the ordinary follower-plates. My present invention aims to dispense with said ribs or stops also and to so construct the followers that they will of themselves pre vent undue strain upon the springs and mutually limit their own movement one toward another. 5 5

My invention in the present instance is furthermore designed, as in the application referred to, to employ the well-known Master Oar-Builders yoke, spring-pocket, or housing, and also to facilitate the removal of parts in case of breakage of the draw bar or spring.

My invention has for its object, moreover, to simplify the construction of coupler attachments.

I carry out my invention as follows: 6 A A represent the timbers of a car, and B represents the draft-spring housing engaged with said timbers. My invention oontem plates any proper construction 'of the draftspring housing, as of side walls 13 B These walls B B are preferably formed either as embodied in my patent above referred to or i in an accompanying application for coupler attachments, Serial bio/659,084., and may be eitherattached to the customary draft-tim bers or to the customary center sills of a car direct, as may be desired, according as one or the other of the forms embodied in the above-named applicationslnay be employed. I do not, however, limit myself solely to housings constructed in accordance with either of said applications, as my present invention contemplates the construction of the springprotecting device'or devices in any suitable housing. Should either of the forms of the side walls or draft spring housing be employed embodied in either of the above-named applications, my present invention contemplates simply the omission of the central ribs or stops shown on the adjacent vertical faces of the side walls therein. W'ith the exceptionof said center stops or ribs, the drawings herewith show the draft-spring housing constructed more particularly in accordance with the invention disclosed in the patent above 5 referred to, in which the side walls B B' may or may not be integrally connected by a rear wall B the side walls B B being engaged with the timbers A A in any suitable mannor, as by bolt 0. The side walls are formed on their adjacent inner faces with shoulders or stops Z) 1) toward the rear thereof and with similar shoulders or stops Z) Z) toward the front thereof, forming intermediate recesses 1) b respectively.

D D represent draft-sprin gs shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5 arranged tandem.

E is the draw-head, and E its shank.

My improved followers, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, consist of two box-followers G G, each embracing one of the tandem springs D D. These followers G G are so constructed and arranged as to limit each others movement toward the other in any suitable manner. As illustrated in the drawings, one of the followers, as the follower G, is formed with lateral orifices, (indicated at 9,) the other follower, as the follower Gt, having its adjacent end cut away, forming shoulders g at its upper and lower edges and a narrowed U shaped portion G having its end portion G passed through the orifices g, said end portion G abutting, when the followers are fully extended, against the corresponding end portion G of the opposite follower. In order to engage the end portion G in the orifices g of the opposite follower, the lastnamed follower, as the follower G of the drawings, is formed in separable sections g the one preferably having a doweled engagement with the other, as indicated at g It will be obvious that when the followers are in place there will be no liability of their disengagement or separation. To form the orifices g, the corresponding follower is cut away, forming stops or shoulders 9 It will be obvious that the shoulders g, contacting with the adjacent end of the opposite follower, and also the cross-piece G contacting with the shoulders g will limit the movement of the followers one toward the other, while the shoulders I) and b of the side walls will limit the opposite movement of said followers,thereby protecting the springs from undue compression in either direction and allowing the use of the tandem springs, both doing their proper service at the same time, the boxes traveling in either direction, as the case may be, the one abutting up against the other and protecting the springs in their movement one toward the other in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5. Moreover, the outward or opposite movement of the boxes will cause the part G to abut up against the end wall G to limit the movement of the boxes in opposite directions independent of the shoulders b b of the side walls 13 13 F is a customary yoke engaged with the draw-head shank E and with the rear follower.

In Fig. (i the same principle may be carried out where it is desired to use twin springs, the U shaped followers G simply being made wider to admit the twin springs. It is obvious that the followers, as shown in detail in Fig. 2, are so interlocked the one with the other as to each have a limited movement the one toward and from the other. I do not limit myself, however, solely to this precise means of interlocking the two follower ends,

as they may be interlocked in any suitable manner so as to have a limited movement the one toward and from the other nor do I limit myself solely to interlocking the two followers in any manner, as my invention broadly contemplates their construction in such a manner that the one may have a limited movement toward and from the other, and whereby the one will provide a stop to the movement of the other in either or in both directions.

I prefer that the box-followers should be made with straight or plain sides projecting into the recesses of the side walls, as this construction simplifies and economizes the construction of the device.

That I claim as my invention is- 1. In a spring-protecting device for railway-couplers, a draft spring housing provided with two followers, springs arranged tandem within said housing, and means to separate said springs from each other at their adjacent ends, said followers arranged to abut one against the other to limit the compression of the springs, for the purpose described.

2. A spring-protectin g device for railway couplers consisting of followers, a spring housed in each of said followers, and separated the one from the other, said followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, substantially as described.

3. A spring-protecting device for railway couplers consisting of followers, a spring housed in each of said followers, and separated thereby the one from the other, said followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, substantially as described.

4. A spring-protecting device for railwaycouplers consisting of interlocked followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, one of said followers constructed of separable sections to engage the interlocking portion of the other follower, substantially as described.

5. A spring-protecting device for railway couplers consisting of followers arranged to engage tandem springs, said followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, one of said followers constructed of separable sections, substantially as described.

6, A spring-protecting device for railwaycouplers consisting of followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, one of said followers formed with lateral orifices, and the other follower having its adjacent end engaged in said orifices, substantially as de scribed.

7. A spring-protecting device for railwaycouplers consisting of followers arranged to engage tandem springs, said followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, one of said followers formed with lateral orifices, and the other followervhaving its adjacent end engaged in said orifices, substantially as described.

8. The spring-protecting followers herein described, consisting of two box-shaped followers the one interlocked with the other, whereby each of said followers may have a limited movement toward and from the other, substantially as described.

9. A spring-protecting device consisting of two followers having their adjacent ends G and G interlocked to limit the movement of each of said followers, one of said followers formed with lateral orifices to receive the adjacent end of the opposite follower, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a draft-spring housing constructed with side walls having inwardly-proj ectin g shoulders or stops toward the opposite extremities thereof, and with intermediate recesses, of spring-protecting followers arranged to move back and forth in said recesses, and independent springs separated one from the other located within said housing, said followers arranged to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of the springs as said housings move one toward the other, the opposite movements of the housings being limited by said stops, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a draft-spring housing, constructed with side walls having inwardly-proj ectin g shoulders or stops toward the opposite extremities thereof, and with inother at their adjacent ends, and two follow-V ers arranged within said housing to abut the one against the other to limit the compres sion of the springs, substantially as described.

13. A spring-protecting device for railwaycouplers consisting of two followers, independent springs housed in said followers and separated the one from the other, said followers constructed to abut the one against the other to limit the compression of said springs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM THORNBURGI-I.

Witnesses:

S. S. BLooM, II. T. THORNBURGH. 

